Autors note: Ok, this would be an epiloge for the time paradox. I wrote it with a friend as soon as we finished reading the book. Sorry for the confusion with the speech, i've already changed it.
If you don't like it i'm fine, i don't expect a prize for this, but at leas you can keep your mean comments to yourself or at least say it with a polite manner. I'm trying to lern here, i don't even speak english here, i didn't even studie it, i lerned by myself by reading and stuff. You at least could make it possible to answer your comments instead of just hiding like a chicken.
Human talk, Fairy talk.
It was late at night. Artemis had spent a lot of time explaining himself to everyone, now it was time for butler to know the truth. They were at the kitchen eating the remaining pizza.
"I'm not exactly sure about what happened with the gorilla, since I was unconscious" He was saying "but judging by the animal's reaction I'd say Holly managed to scare it."
"So she saved you again" said Butler with a smile on his face, he clearly was enjoying this part of the story.
Artemis stayed silent. He hadn't have time to correctly process what had happened then. Holly's bright crying eyes, well technically one was his, her smile, her beautiful face coming closer and closer, then, without warning…
Butler's smile grew bigger. He knew that something new had to had happened in order to make Artemis speechless.
"Did she heal you, then?"
"Yes, she did, but…" Artemis could feel his face turning red.
Artemis is getting red, something is just not right here, though Butler, and then: well, maybe not wrong, he might just beginning to be normal.
"My senses weren't working properly. My head was confused, and then captain Short… Holly… She…"
Butler had never seen his master so nervous before, not even the time when he had to tell his father that he had a 9,99 in a math test. Clearly something really big had happened.
"She…" Artemis continued "It was probably the adrenaline of the moment. The risk of loosing ones life generates an unusual amount of hormones which encourages the impulse reactions, plus the decreasing on Holly's age…"
"Artemis" interrupted Butler a little bit impatient, though he could imagine where his master was going, he had to listen it from his own lips to believe his thoughts "stop messing around and say it."
"S.. She kissed me" Artemis whispered
"Well I'm glad finally one of you decided to make the first move" Butler was working hard on not let his smile grow too much bigger than what it already was "so then what happened?"
"Well, we had to get out, we were at the gorillas cage, while my ten years old version and your younger self were about to get Jayjay." Explained Artemis still red. Butlers reaction was almost as he had expected, but yet that did not make him feel any better.
"But then?" asked Butler again "when your lives weren't in any danger anymore? Didn't you talk?"
"Well.. she did want to talk but... I kind of blackmailed her so I had to tell her and then she appeared to decide to avoid the subject."
Butler stare at his master with his non approval face.
"But then I came up with a plan" hurried Artemis, not happy receiving that look again "I made her talk to Commander Julius Root, so she could say goodbye. So then she was not mad at me, yet she said that my 'elf kissing days were over' " short silence "I assumed she was serious."
Butler stood up, still smiling.
"you might be a genius Artemis, but you don't know women" he put a hand on his master shoulder "when they say it's over, they never mean it."
And he left the room leaving Artemis with his head running faster than usual, face completely red and an unexpected half smile across it.
***
Holly drank some water. Her throat was dry after so much talking. She was back in Heaven, in Foaly's chamber, the two of them were criticizing N1's magic after effects.
"What I'm saying is he should do something about the age thing" said Holly "been a teenager again was nothing like fun."
"Well, maybe that was because you didn't think that you weren't a teenager while traveling" Foaly typed something in the computer while talking "having a clear notion of yourself it's fundamental."
"Sorry, but I was more worried about not letting my underwear become permanent" Holly rested her head on the table "I hate been a teenager, all those hormones make you do anything, I mean, me? Kissing in the middle of a fight?"
Foaly almost jumped of the chair.
"Hang on in there, kissing? Well, there were only tree of you there, I assume you didn't kiss Mulch, so… Artemis?"
"Well… I mean, Arty was…"
"Whoa, whoa, now he's Arty?"
Holly made herself comfortable and said as if it didn't matter:
"Yeah, I kissed Arty, I told you, those hormones make me do crazy stuff."
Foaly couldn't help himself and started to laugh and said something ununderstandable while doing some horsy sounds.
Holly drank more water waiting for the laughing to stop. Foaly looked at her containing himself from more laugh.
"You can't fool me, Holly" he said turning serious "I'm the great Foaly, remember? I've been with you since the beginning, I saw your friendship with the Fowl guy grow up, and I'm quite sure those weren't just the hormones."
"Of course not" agreed Holly "The pressure of the moment, the relieve of seen that he was alive, the fear that I might have made him ill with my magic, the fact that magic was flowing nonstop…"
"yeah right" interrupted Foaly facing the computer again "I'm sure you were up to more kissing the rest of the journey… even now."
"No way!" Hoally crossed her arms and legs "we are from different species, different worlds, ages, he's just a kid! How could something like that work out?"
"So you did think about that possibility."
"Well… I studied the situation like I'd do with any other one" she said avoiding eye contact.
"Yeah, Holly, since when have you studied a situation that much?" Foaly looked happy to see her friend so confused "even in the field you like to by guided by your guts instead of the rules."
"That's not true!" Holly gave a severe look at the centaur, even though she knew that was just exactly how her brain worked. But not this time… it just can't be.
"Look Holly, I know it is weird" said the centaur suddenly completely serious "yes, you are from different species, I admit it, but hey, now that I'm happy with Caballine I can understand what's happening to you. To you both. Just let yourself be, like you always do, but this time do it for yourself, not for someone else. For your own happiness."
"D'Arvit… I hate when you are right…"
Foaly smiled to himself and started writing on the computer just when Holly's helmet biped. She put it on and saw Artemis signature on the icon. It was green, social matters according to their color-code.
Holly: I wonder if we'll be able to meet again one of this days, I think we deserve some non-business time together. If you agree please set place and time.
Foaly made his horsy noises again.
"I'm always right."
